SolarComm Communication and Collaboration Team Biographies Name: Sean Flannigan Functional Group: Engineering Title: Lead Power Systems Engineer Location: Boston, MA Years of Experience: 27 Education: PhD, University of Virginia Skills: Leadership and employee management; project management; technology and risk assessment; financial modeling; budgeting; working knowledge of power systems and components; photovoltaic systems design; contract review and negotiation; working knowledge of regulations; and construction monitoring Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Although he would not think of himself as privileged, Sean has progressed in his education and career by identifying goals and working hard until he achieved them. He attributes all of his success to his work ethic. Sean finds common ground with people most easily when they share his interests in science, math, and a functional design. Characteristics: Analytical; creative; interested in mechanical and technical projects; performs well in technology-focused leadership roles; highly process-oriented; strong verbal and graphical communication skills; data-driven; and a scientific approach to decision making Behaviors: Sean meets annual project requirements on time and budget. He and his team act autonomously and with minimal oversight in the field. He requests access to research findings, thorough documentation, and other evidence of efficacy before adopting a new product or process. He speaks candidly when he sees reason for concern. Because his work requires him to spend a lot of time managing a team in the field, he prefers brief, tactical phone calls instead of extended, strategy meetings. Background: Sean has been a lead power systems engineer for 6 years. Before that, he spent 10 years as a systems engineer for a major utility company in the western United States, where he managed a large team of technicians. Prior to that, he was a respected research scientist at a large state institution. The other power systems engineers at SolarComm elected Sean to speak for them and defer to Sean if asked for more participation. They provided Sean with a year of records showing that a dozen essential components arrived behind schedule. Records also showed that four major components were not manufactured to specification. Many of the Engineers told Sean that SolarComm’s problems originated from poorly negotiated procurement agreements that do not penalize the manufacturer when problems occur. Name: Irma Trujillo Functional Group: Procurement Title: Procurement Manager Location: Austin, TX Years of Experience: 6 Education: Bachelor of Science, Economics Skills: Logistics and planning; thoroughly knowledgeable in SolarComm systems, including databases, presentation tools, and contracts database; able to understand and communicate highly technical information in a global, cross-functional, and multicultural work environment; and is fluent in English and Spanish Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Alt.

1. SolarComm Communication and Collaboration Team
Biographies
Name: Sean Flannigan
Functional Group: Engineering
Title: Lead Power Systems Engineer
Location: Boston, MA
Years of Experience: 27
Education: PhD, University of Virginia
Skills: Leadership and employee management; project
management; technology and risk assessment; financial
modeling; budgeting; working knowledge of power systems and
components; photovoltaic systems design; contract review and
negotiation; working knowledge of regulations; and
construction monitoring
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Although he would not think of
himself as privileged, Sean has progressed in his education and
career by identifying goals and working hard until he achieved
them. He attributes all of his success to his work ethic. Sean
finds common ground with people most easily when they share
his interests in science, math, and a functional design.
Characteristics: Analytical; creative; interested in mechanical
and technical projects; performs well in technology-focused
leadership roles; highly process-oriented; strong verbal and
graphical communication skills; data-driven; and a scientific
approach to decision making
Behaviors: Sean meets annual project requirements on time and
budget. He and his team act autonomously and with minimal
oversight in the field. He requests access to research findings,
thorough documentation, and other evidence of efficacy before
adopting a new product or process. He speaks candidly when he
sees reason for concern. Because his work requires him to spend
a lot of time managing a team in the field, he prefers brief,
tactical phone calls instead of extended, strategy meetings.

2. Background: Sean has been a lead power systems engineer for 6
years. Before that, he spent 10 years as a systems engineer for a
major utility company in the western United States, where he
managed a large team of technicians. Prior to that, he was a
respected research scientist at a large state institution. The other
power systems engineers at SolarComm elected Sean to speak
for them and defer to Sean if asked for more participation. They
provided Sean with a year of records showing that a dozen
essential components arrived behind schedule. Records also
showed that four major components were not manufactured to
specification. Many of the Engineers told Sean that
SolarComm’s problems originated from poorly negotiated
procurement agreements that do not penalize the manufacturer
when problems occur.
Name: Irma Trujillo
Functional Group: Procurement
Title: Procurement Manager
Location: Austin, TX
Years of Experience: 6
Education: Bachelor of Science, Economics
Skills: Logistics and planning; thoroughly knowledgeable in
SolarComm systems, including databases, presentation tools,
and contracts database; able to understand and communicate
highly technical information in a global, cross-functional, and
multicultural work environment; and is fluent in English and
Spanish
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Although Irma’s parents made
little money, when she was young they paid for her to tuition at
a private, college-preparatory school in the suburbs of Houston,
Texas. She has never forgotten the sacrifices they made to
ensure she would have more opportunity than they did. She is
no stranger to proving herself in academic and professional life.
Characteristics: Analytical; highly organized; meticulous;
deadline-oriented; strong implementation skills; and prefers a

3. structured work environment
Behaviors: Irma works diligently during regular hours, usually
between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Central Time, U.S.), but
makes adjustments to her schedule to accommodate business
partners in Malaysia, China, and South Africa. She still defers
to her previous manager, Bob Teller, when business partners
request substantial changes to schedule, cost, or contract terms.
Background: Irma began her career at SolarComm 6 years ago
as a business analyst. After 2 years of success, she elected to
make a lateral move to the procurement group because she
possesses both an aptitude and preference for logistics. She was
promoted to procurement manager 8 months ago and manages a
team of three procurement coordinators. Five months ago her
manager, Bob Teller, called her into his office to discuss what
he called “a concern from the field.” In the meeting, Irma
learned that Sean Flannigan had sent an e-mail to her manager
that blamed Irma and her team for failing to fulfill orders for
custom-made components on time and to the quality mandated
by law. When given an opportunity to explain her side of the
story, Irma replied that Sean’s team changed the specifications
for at least three of the projects. The changes made it
impossible for her team to procure the correct components on
the original schedule. Irma left Bob’s office and returned to
work feeling angry at Sean for betraying their relationship and
escalating the problem to her manager.
Name: Sandra Cummins
Functional Group: Sales
Title: Regional Manager
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Years of Experience: 12
Education: Bachelor of Science, Engineering
Skills: Highly skilled at communicating complex, highly
technical processes; trained in and expert practitioner of

4. consultative sales techniques and SPIN selling techniques; adept
at B2B and B2C sales methodology; and expert in the customer
relationship management software (CRM) and other SolarComm
systems
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: As a veteran of the United States
Armed Forces, Sandra has unique skills and experiences that
work. In addition to a high tolerance for stress and a mission-
focused approach to her work, she has traveled and lived abroad
on deployments to Europe, the Middle East, and South East
Asia.
Characteristics: Mission focused; a strategic planner; bottom
line-oriented; expert at moving the sales process forward;
timely; strives to exceed the expectations; and empathic
Behaviors: Sandra achieved goals for the past 3 years as a solar
consultant and is working hard to become an equally successful
regional manager. She spends the majority of her time working
directly with her team of solar consultants to drive business and
has little time for additional projects. She has expressed an
interest in continuing to grow within the business development
group and knows the next promotion depends on demonstrated
success in her current position.
Background: After serving in the United States Air Force,
Sandra began her career in the solar power industry as a solar
consultant for one of SolarComm’s top competitors. She proved
herself an excellent sales representative by exceeding her sales
goal consistently for 3 years and qualifying as a company-wide
top performer 2 years in a row. The SolarComm Business
Development team actively recruited her for the open regional
manager position in Salt Lake City, Utah. She currently
oversees a team of 13 solar consultants in a geographical region
spanning from western Colorado to western Utah. In the past
year, she has worked hard to network with managers throughout
the company. Recently, her team has experienced delays in
component shipments that have cost them future revenue. She
never experienced such problems when she worked for her
previous employer and is eager to find a fix.

5. Name: Aardash Bhatnagar
Functional Group: Sales
Title: Regional Manager, Inland Empire
Location: Riverside, CA
Years of Experience: 32
Education: Bachelor of Science, Business
Skills: Highly skilled at communicating complex, highly
technical processes; able to establish credibility and good will
with executive decision makers at key accounts; and competent
in the customer relationship management software (CRM) and
other SolarComm systems
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Aardash immigrated to the
United States and has been pursuing opportunities to establish
himself as a leader in the community, raise a healthy family,
and enjoy life ever since. His optimistic, determined outlook
has driven him to succeed at one company after another over the
past 32 years.
Characteristics: Self-starter; entrepreneurial; relationship
focused; steady performer; entrenched in the industry; and
sought after by close competitors
Behaviors: Aardash built strong relationships with his largest
customers and actively maintains contact with them. He
sponsors professional networking events and invites his
customers to social events like family gatherings. He regularly
achieves revenue goals. However, his region also suffers from
high turnover of solar consultants who complain that Aardash
undermines their decision-making authority in their territory.
Background: Aardash immigrated to the United States from
northern India at the age of 18 and earned his Bachelor of
Science in Business from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
His sales career began at Lockheed Martin, a global company
with offices in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. Two years
later, he accepted a promotion and relocated to Lancaster,
California, where he acted as the lead business development

6. officer at an electric car company. He later worked as a manager
of business development and community development for
California’s largest power utility provider. Seven years ago,
Aardash joined SolarComm as the regional manager for the
Inland Empire. Despite his reputation for undermining new
solar consultants, upper management regards him as an effective
mediator who can quickly dispel tense situations. The recent
problems with components that have plagued other customers
have had little impact on his business.
Name: Peter Brueggeman
Functional Group: Human Resources
Title: Human Resources Manager
Location: University of California, Los Angeles
Years of Experience: 7
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Education
Skills: Performance management; organization development;
employee onboarding, development, and needs assessment, and
training; policy development and documentation; and
communication
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Peter is passionate about
employee rights and social equality in the workplace. His
interest stems, at least in part, from his own experiences as a
young man who was teased and bullied by his classmates.
Characteristics: Comfortable with ambiguity; analytical;
strategic; persuasive; empathic; knowledgeable of company
policies, employment law, and organizational behavior; ability
to influence management; and ability to develop and implement
employee training
Behaviors: One month ago, Peter was hired by SolarComm. He
appears bright, eager to succeed, and excited to work with you
on the team.
Background: Peter began his career in human resources 7 years
ago at a software company based in California. The company

7. was recently acquired by a large competitor, and Peter played a
key role in the transition. Afterward, he returned to his
hometown in Austin, Texas, where he joined SolarComm.